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Bangladesh

Water Blues Telefilm on Arsenic Poisoning in Bangladesh — FemCom

Background of the project

Arsenic poisoning is a growing problem in Bangladesh. Arsenocosis is caused by drinking arsenic-tainted groundwater, a major problem in the country due to high levels of bacterial pollution in surface water. The disease causes many problems including vomiting and diarrhea; abdominal pain; muscular pain; skin rashes; and swelling of the eyelids, feet and hands. Arsenocosis ultimately affects the heart, lungs, and kidneys and can be fatal. The World Health Organization has described the naturally occurring arsenic as the largest mass poisoning of a population in history. It warns that up to 80 million Bangladeshis may be affected. While various nongovernment organizations (NGOs) involved in water and sanitation activities are working with the Department of Public Health and Engineering to eradicate arsenic from water supplies, it is necessary to educate the population about the dangers of using arsenic-tainted water, the treatments available, and actions they can take to avoid Arsenocosis.

Recognizing the need for an accessible and widely disseminated education campaign, the NGO FemCom researched and developed the film Patal Purir Galpo. The title translates as Story from Under the Earth though the English version was titled Water Blues. The film was conceived as a preventive health initiative to convey information about arsenic poisoning to a broad audience using a popular cultural medium and well-known actors and performers.

Pre-production

A screenplay was developed after consultation with victims of arsenic poisoning, health officials, and the arsenic programs of various NGOs. Popular television and theater performers were contacted and the press was invited to a discussion of the issues. Feedback from this session was then incorporated into the screenplay. It was also decided to incorporate songs composed and performed by well-known musicians into the film to enhance its appeal to a wide audience.

Production

The telefilm was shot in Gazipur, Ashulia, Singair and in villages with arsenic-tainted water supplies. Local residents were recruited to assist in various activities including the identification of Arsenocosis patients. FemCom was pleased to find that the patients were happy to participate and took their enthusiasm as an indication of their level of faith in the project, that is, the patients' belief that the film would succeed in informing the government and fellow citizens and in finding solutions to their problems. The involvement of popular film and television personalities was seen as a great coup in this respect. Not only did they build a strong rapport with arsenic patients, they also guaranteed a wide audience for the film. Other inputs came from various NGOs and from villagers and health care workers who educated the performers and advised on script and set details.

Post-Production

The film was edited and reviewed by various arsenic experts and by villagers of Manikganj. The villagers were positive in their responses to the film and found it informative and enjoyable to watch. The Bangladesh Television Authority agreed to broadcast the telefilm on their national media channel, and it was edited into a final copy. An English subtitled version was produced to enable screening to other South Asian countries that also experience problems with arsenic-tainted water. This version was also useful for screenings with non-Bangladeshi dignitaries and for workshops, conferences, and seminars attended by non-Bangladeshi audiences.

Publicity and Presentation

The premier was attended by many dignitaries, representatives of various organizations, the production team, and cast members. Publicity for the film highlighted the involvement of popular performers and emphasized the film as an entertaining portrayal of an important issue. The film was deemed a great success and was recognized as portraying an important message in an engaging form. The screening was covered by all the daily newspapers and film magazines and was acclaimed as a significant contribution to raising awareness about arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh. Viewer's reports in the newspapers were also positive.

The screening on Bangladesh TV was also received warmly by viewers, and the film was rated in the TV guide as the best telefilm of the year. Interest has also been expressed in screening the film on a number of nongovernment channels such as ETV, Channel 1 and ATN Bangla. It has also been screened in India. FemCom would like to produce a 35mm version for screening in cinemas to enable the film to reach audiences that do not have access to television.

The project has been enormously successful in achieving its goals of informing a wide audience about an important issue through a popular form of entertainment. The enthusiastic response by audiences, the media, and television stations shows the potential of this medium, if thoughtfully utilized, for achieving important social outcomes.

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